Chapter 1: Introduction

The 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) of the United States Army, nicknamed the "Screaming Eagles," was activated on August 15, 1942. On August 19, its first commander, Major General William C. Lee, promised his new recruits that the 101st had a rendezvous with destiny. General Order Number Five, which gave birth to the division, read:

"The 101st Airborne Division, activated at Camp Claiborne, Louisiana, had no history, but it has a rendezvous with destiny. Like the early American pioneers whose invincible courage was the foundation stone of this nation, we have broken with the past and its traditions in order to establish our claim to the future.
"Due to the nature of our armament, and the tactics in which we shall perfect ourselves, we shall upon to carry out operations of far-reaching military importance, and we shall habitually go into action when the need is immediate and extreme."

-Major General U.S. Army

William C. Lee